DaGreen

Jude, glad I am not alone. Heidi, Thanks so much! I think it's been a bit of a blessing that I wasn't banded in August and have really had a chance to research and become neurotic! Evette, do you take the enzyme as you feel you are pbing or do you just take it daily as part of your supplements? I totally skimmed over the part you typed about eating around the band. I know you can do it, but I am trying to put mind over matter and hopefully not let that be an option. Has anyone gone so overboard and bought the baby forks, spoon and knives? They have some smaller utensils like that at Cost Plus along with nice small plates. Told you all, NEUROTIC!!!!!!

This is the ONLY thing that freaks me out about getting banded. How do you prevent it? Smaller bites? Chew thoroughly? Papaya Enzyme all the time for that just in case? Yea I know, I am a worry wort!

:lb24: :lb24: That's fantastic!!! You are looking great!!!

ETA: YES THEY SHIP TO CANADA

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Hope to see you around here more often!

WOO HOO!!!! Running?? That is great!! I know you are discouraged on your weight loss BUT RUNNING?? That's a non scale accomplishment!!! (is that what they are called?) I am going to be your cheerleader here. :cheerleader: :cheerleader: Pat yourself on the back and increase your running distance. Put your focus on the positives ie: increase your run distance weekly; and you will break through that negative feeling you have towards the scale not moving. You can do it!!!

GET OUT!!! It's available now?? Have to go order it! Thanks for posting Jann and Shrty

Excellent advice! In our many years of dieting, at one point I threw my scale away and started watching inches and clothes sizes. You are all ROCKING the band. Keep up the excellent work!

Hi All, Thought I'd throw a link for you from Torrid Torrid I REALLY want to buy some "dream clothes" but feel I should spend my money on pre/post op things first. ETA: YES, THEY SHIP TO CANADA

I've used the Crest Whitestrips and they do work. You do have to be creative when wearing them and squeeze the gel into the spaces between your teeth or else the fronts of your teeth are white but the cracks are not. My problem with the strips is that my gums get extremely sensitive and I develop mouth sores. While I am at OCC I am going to plunk down the extra $$$ and have the Zoom done.

WOW the Fruit Punch is SWEET!!! Even sweeter in the CL Fruit Punch. I had to water it all down. I couldn't taste any protein afterwards!

EEEEE Donnie EEEEEEEE How fun! Look at you! You are looking FABULOUS!!!! Glad you had a blast!

HA, I cheated and pull this off of "the other site". Funny thing, most of it I already have except some of the meds. If I get the funding in the next couple of weeks, I am hoping to bump up my surgery date by two weeks and it's only 2 hours to TJ for me.

Great post and excellent info from everyone!!! I always wondered about what EXACTLY is clear liquids, thanks Julie. Why can't I find the Special K protein drink? I see South Beach but not Special K. I am in So Cal. I have been able to find low sodium veggie, chix and beef broth at Trader Joe's.

Thanks Jann. I can only hope I come out of this looking and feeling as great as you do!!! >

Ok, with my obsessive compulsiveness right now to make sure I have EVERYTHING before my surgery, can you all recommend anything else? The list is below from another website. LAP BAND SURGERY SHOPPING LIST NON-FOOD ITEMS: ♦ Heating pad(12inx24in) ♦ Flexible ice pack (hot/cold 12inx16in) ♦ A few books or movies(your choice, I spent about 70.00us) ♦ Squishy pillow for car ride for seatbelt (shoulder pad) ♦ Make sure you have a good blender ♦ Kitchen timer (first few days, sip every 15 mins)(analog) ♦ Kitchen timer (digital – better for travelling) ♦ Pedo-meter(depending on the one you get – don’t forget to adjust to your stride) PHARMACEUTICALS: ♦ Liquid Tylenol/Motrin (Check early in case pharmacy needs to order in advance) ♦ Chewable or liquid gas-x(I got strips, you will pay more than shown here) ♦ Gauze Pads 4x4 ♦ Paper/bandage tape ♦ Wet Wipes ♦ Pill crusher ♦ Chewable vitamins ♦ Hospital Medicine cups (I got 3oz/88ml cups – 100ct) ♦ Cough Drops(Halls big box) ♦ Stool Softener (Dr. asked me not to get this, if needed talk to him) ♦ Moist and nice tasting Lip Balm ♦ Phazyme (for gas relief) of any simethicome base gas relief product FOOD ITEMS: ♦ Protein shakes(these vary from 22 – 55 dollars depending on quality and quantity) ♦ Plenty of water(bottled water for me 3cases 16oz. bottles 10.00) ♦ Broth or stuff to make broth(several flavors but all about the same cost) ♦ Sugar free popsicles ♦ Sugar free jello ♦ Sugar free breath mints (chewable) ♦ Crystal Light "On the GO" assorted flavors(I don’t like CL so I got store brand/price per ♦ box) ♦ Bouillon(several flavors but all about the same cost) ♦ Cream of Wheat ♦ Creamy soups ♦ Applesauce ♦ FAT FREE yogurt ♦ Soup-at-Hand - soups - for creamy stage ♦ Pudding cups (SF/FF) - helps w/ taking meds (got instant, more flavors, price per box) ♦ Sugar free hot cocoa ♦ Decaf tea CLOTHES POST-OP: ♦ Loose fitting, easily removable(one size larger than I wear, sweats, top and bottom) ♦ Buttons downs or pullover ♦ Thong shoes/slip-on so no bending and tying ♦ Sports Bra! Sutures will be hurt by under wires

*knock knock* I too have issues, BUT I've suppressed them for so long that every now and then a ghost will slip out from under the closet door and I have to deal with it, one day at a time. An excellent but old book, Toxic Parents by Susan Forward. The best advice I can give is to don't look back. We all made mistakes when we were younger. The people that we were not nice to probably don't even remember who we are or remember the incident. You need to learn to love yourself. You are not a bad person. Move forward, learn from your past mistakes and if you slip up, dust yourself off and stand back up and keep moving forward. We are only human and I know I didn't get the handbook on life, did you? All we can do is do our best. Good luck, keep coming here to vent.

That is GREAT! Congratulations!!!

Thanks Linda. Hubby is very supportive now I am really tired of the ankle, knee and hip pains of carrying around the weight. I really cannot wait to start this journey!

Dana, I have no clue how they taste. I was just interested in the grams of protein. Hopefully someone else can give us insight. I am not a chalky protein lover! HAHAHAHA Julie, thanks for thinking of me. I haven't posted in a while, I definitely lurk though and am truly sorry for your incident with OCC. After care was always a concern of mine. I am glad you are doing well now. I finally have my surgery date of Nov 11 and now I am STRESSED about it. I am trying to read up on all the things I should have food wise for after the surgery. I have dropped 10 lbs and have been told by OCC to try for another 10 if I am feeling it, which I am. Maybe I will be at 200 by the time I have surgery, wouldn't that be awesome? I ordered my bikini for before and after pictures. I want to look hot like Michelle I have been seeing my shrink and we are working through my food addictions. I've learned to take a walk when I am feeling stressed or feeling the need to turn to my best friend, aka food. Again, thanks for thinking of me. I will be a posting fiend I am sure!

Thought I'd share this with you. I copied it from another site. "The bullets are the 42g (make sure if you are buying the correct ones because they make some that are on 20g or so). The price is 2.09 each or 24.99 for a case of 12. That is better than the price I paid for them with my GNC gold card on bonus days. It is also cheaper than I found it online." GNC Coupons

WOW!!! LOOK AT YOU!! You look fantastic. Congratulations!

You gals are funny on the power tools. Adam And Eve have complete discretion as well I've been reading relationship articles and came across this one. I am not in the best marriage right now and have applied this to my life now, and it's working. My husband is actually intrigued on my change. This is actually from a surviving infidelity website. No, no infidelity here, just the marriage is having some downs right now and I am researching how to change things. BS=Betrayed Spouse WW=Wayward Wife WH=Wayward Husband OP=Other Person OM=Other Man OW=Other Woman I tried to single space, but not enough room. You might want to copy and paste in a word doc. 180 is a list of behaviors from Michelle Wiener Davis, the author of Divorce Busting, that will help your spouse to see you moving forward as a healthy person. I would highly suggest that any new BS begin these behaviors as soon as possible. I am convinced that if I had implemented them, I would still be married. In retrospect, I did everything besides 180. I looked pathetic. No one wants to be perceived as pathetic. 180 makes you look strong. Strong is attractive. (Making it) So here's the list: Don't pursue reason, chase, beg, plead or implore. No frequent phone calls. Don't point out "good points" in marriage. Don't follow her/him around the house. Don't encourage or initiate discussion about the future. Don't ask for help from the family members of your WS. Don't ask for reassurances. Don't buy or give gifts. Don't schedule dates together. Don't keep saying, "I Love You!" Because if you have a brain in your head, he/she is at this particular moment, not very loveable. Do more then act as if you are moving on with your life; begin moving on with your life! Be cheerful, strong, outgoing and independent. Don't sit around waiting on your spouse - get busy, do things, go out with friends, enjoy old hobbies, find new ones! But stay busy! When home with your spouse, (if you usually start the conversation) be scarce or short on words. Don't push any issue? No matter how much you want to! If you're in the habit of asking your spouse his/her whereabouts, ASK NOTHING. Seem totally uninterested. Your partner needs to believe that you have awakened to the fact that "they (the WS)" are serious concerning their assertions as to the future (or lack thee of) of your marriage. Thus, you are you are moving on with your life? with out them! Don't be nasty, angry or even cold - Just pull yourself back. Don't always be so available? for anything! Your spouse will notice. More important, he/she will notice that you're missing. No matter what you are feeling TODAY, only show your spouse happiness and contentment? Make yourself be someone they would want to be around. Not a moody, needy, pathetic individual but a self assured individual secure in the knowledge that they have value. All questions about the marriage should be put on hold, until your spouse wants to talk about it (which may not be for quite a while). Initiate no such conversation! Do not allow yourself to lose your temper. No yelling, screaming or name calling EVER. No show of temper! Be cool, act cool; be in control of the only thing you can control? YOURSELF! Don't be overly enthusiastic. Do not argue when they tell you how they feel (it only makes their feelings stronger). In fact, refuse to argue at all! Be patient and learn to not only listen carefully to what your spouse is really saying to you? HEAR what it is that they are saying! Listen and then listen some more! Learn to back off, keep your mouth shut and walk away when you want to speak out, no matter what the provocation. No one ever got themselves into trouble by just not saying anything. Take care of you. Exercise, sleep, laugh & focus on all the other parts of your life that are not in turmoil. Be strong, confident and learn to speak softly. Know that if you can do this 180, your smallest CONSISTENT action will be noticed far more than any words you can say or write. Do not be openly desperate or needy even when you are hurting more than ever and are feeling totally desperate and needy. Do not focus on yourself when communicating with your spouse. It's not always about you! More to the point, at present they just don't care! Do not believe any of what you hear them say and less than 50% of what you see. Your spouse will speak in absolute negatives and do so in the most strident tones imaginable. Try to remember that they are also hurting and afraid. Try to remember that they know what they are doing is wrong and so they will say anything they can to justify their behavior. Do not give up no matter how dark it is or how bad you feel. It "ain't over till it's over!" Do not backslide from your hard earned changes. Remain consistent! It is the consistency of action and attitude that delivers the message. When expressing your dissatisfaction with the actions of the wayward party, never be judgmental, critical or express moral outrage. Always explain that your dissatisfaction is due to the pain that the acts being committed are causing you as a person. This is the kind of behavior that will cause you to be a much more attractive and mysterious individual. Further it SHOWS that you are NOT afraid to move on with your life. Still more important, it will burst their positive little bubble; the one in which they believe that they can always come back to you in case things don't work out with the OM/OW."

WOO HOO!!! I can't wait to hear all about it!

=D> =D> WOW! You look AMAZING!!! I too was wondering about the port detaching. Can you request for it to be more under the muscle BEFORE being banded or is it too much to ask for because of the weight right now and them not being able to find it?